Time Management

"If you want to become more productive, you need to become a master of your minutes"

                                                        ~Crystal Paine

You may be dealing with an overwhelming list of things you need to do. Or perhaps, you just want to get more time back in your day. Whatever your situation, you are probably worried about time management adding even more to your plate. 

Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities with the aim of increasing effectiveness, efficiency or productivity. Time management means staying on top of your time, life, and activities. It shouldn't take your time, rather, it should make extra time for you. Time management should not take extreme effort, however, just like everything worthwhile, time management requires self-discipline. 

Benefits of time management

You as an individual are the main beneficiary of time management. Some of the known benefits of managing your time effectively are: 

1. Less Stress – Managing your time can directly reduce your stress level. Fewer surprises. Fewer tight deadlines. Less rushing from task-to-task and place-to-place.
2. Get More Done – Of course, being productive is one of the main goals of time management. When you are aware of what you need to do, you are able to better manage your workload. You will be able to get more (of the right tasks) done in less time.
3. Less Rework – Being organized results in less rework and mistakes. Forgotten items, details, and instructions lead to extra work. How often do you have to do a task more than once or make an extra trip because you forgot something?
4. Less Life Friction and Problems – Whether it is a forgotten appointment or missed deadline, not managing your time results in increased life friction. Avoid creating your own problems by planning and preparing for your day.
5. More Free Time – We can’t create more time, but you can make better use of it by managing your time.  Simple actions like getting your work done early can produce more leisure time in your life.
6. Less Wasted Time – When you know what you need to do, you waste less time in idle activities. Instead of wondering what you should be doing next, you can already be a step ahead of your work.
7. More Opportunities – Being on top of your time and work produces more opportunities. The early bird always has more options. 
8. Improves Your Reputation – No one is going to question whether you are going to show up, do what you say you are going to do, or meet that deadline; you become reliable.
9. Less Effort – A common misconception is that time management takes extra effort. This is false. Proper time management makes your life easier. Things take LESS effort.
10. More Time Where it Matters – Managing your time means assigning time where it will have the most impact. Time management allows you to spend your time on the things that matter most to you.

With that said, here are 10 tips to better manage your time:

1. Keep It Simple – Keep your time management setup to the simplest possible.
2. Clean Work space – Less clutter results in more room for productivity. Clean up your work space to give yourself more space to do actual work.
3. Make a List – many individuals go through their day without a list of the things they need to do. Making a list lets you get an overview of all the tasks on your plate. As well, it frees up your brain to concentrate on the work at hand.
4. Plan Your Day – Planning out your day and listing the tasks you need to get through saves you a lot of time later in your day. As little as 5 minutes of reviewing your calendar and to-do list will avoid much self-inflicted stress and life friction.
5. Start Early – The early bird does get the worm. If you are just starting out with your time management, get started early… before the rest of the world does. The early morning hours can be some of the most productive and will allow you to get your most important work done before others are even awake.
6. Make Appointments with Your Work – Even small tasks require time allocated to them. Don’t let your day’s events make you neglect your planned out tasks. Instead, prioritize your most important tasks and get started on them first.
7. Control your Technology – Technology can be a wonderful tool that will allow you to get more work done. However, it can also be a big distraction and take time away from your day. Remember that your phone and other gadgets are there for your convenience… not other people’s. Turn off the notifications, and by all means, don't answer your phone if you are busy (unless you find yourself in unavoidable circumstances)
8. Stop multitasking- No one can truly focus on multiple tasks at once. Doing something well demands focus and single-tasking is the only way to achieve that focus. Moreover, single-tasking allows you to maintain that focus through to the next task because your mind is clear. Does texting while driving make for a good outcome? Absolutely not!
9. Be accountable- Speak openly about your goals and objectives, that way you become accountable to others. 
10. Practice Saying No – You can’t do it all. No one can. Time management is not just task oriented; it it also people oriented. You cannot be a master at everything. Learn to delegate tasks by utilizing other people's strengths and capabilities. . Finally, be decisive and make the hard choices on how you will spend your time. Saying no to pointless commitments can recapture valuable time which will improve your productivity.